Xabi Alonso is being mentioned as a candidate for the Manchester United job following his recent dismissal from Real Madrid, which ended after just seven months in charge.
Ruben Amorim was let go by United after just over a year in charge. His exit came at the same time as two other high-profile departures from top European clubs, Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Now out of work, Amorim is part of a growing group of available coaches. Other big names on that list include Enzo Maresca and Xabi Alonso.
Maresca is well-known as a protégé of Pep Guardiola, having previously made a name for himself at Leicester City in the Championship. Alonso is another potential option, although his exit from Madrid was reportedly due to clashes with both the board and dressing room.
The wider wave of dismissals gives United more options if they want to avoid additional compensation fees.
United fans expect Ineos to avoid penny-pinching or shortcuts when appointing a permanent head coach, especially after questionable decisions by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his chiefs since taking control of football operations at Old Trafford.
Talk of Xabi Alonso to Man Utd dismissed amid reports of a Bundesliga return
Alonso is expected to look for a fresh challenge following his brief spell with Real Madrid.
His Bayer Leverkusen side ran away with the Bundesliga title in 2022–23, and even though things did not work out at Madrid, his reputation around Europe is still strong.
Having spent five years at Anfield during his playing days, some might question whether he would ever consider a move to Old Trafford. Sir Matt Busby famously made that leap in the past, but it is unclear if the Spaniard would follow that path.
ESPN’s Mark Ogden addressed the rumours on The Football Reporters podcast after speaking with contacts about whether United were actually interested in bringing him in.
“But I just want to kind of drop something that I was told last week,” Ogden began by saying.
“So when the whole Man United situation was going off and I was speaking to somebody talking about United and just a kind of a cheeky little, ‘why not consider Xabi Alonso?’
“And obviously, I know the answer is that he played for Liverpool etc. But he was like, no, no, no, that’s not going to happen.
“He said, and the story that this guy had been told, and he has a bit of insight, was that they said, no, Xabi Alonso will end up at Bayern Munich this summer, and Vincent Kompany will go to Man City because Man City wants Vincent Kompany back and Xabi Alonso is an obvious fit for Bayern Munich.
“Because he’s as much of a legend as he is at Liverpool. He’s also a great at Bayern Munich.”
Ogden anticipates a managerial “merry-go-round,” potentially leading to Pep Guardiola’s departure from the Etihad Stadium.
Thierry Henry suggests Man Utd look to Barcelona for guidance
Thierry Henry has suggested that Manchester United’s board needs to establish a clear direction before making any decisions about their next permanent manager.
Michael Carrick has been named interim head coach until the end of the season, but the next appointment will be a significant decision for Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada to make.
Carrick’s tenure started well with a 2-0 win over Manchester City, thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu.
Speaking on Monday Night Football, Henry referenced his time at Barcelona, pointing out how the club’s strong sense of identity made managerial appointments much simpler.
“The reality is what do they want Man United to be?” Henry said on Sky Sports (via Daily Mail).
“What do they want, I don’t feel it from the outside. I don’t feel whatever they are looking at.
“Bayern went to Vincent Kompany, we talked about Luis Enrique, we talked about Frank Rijkaard.
“You can agree of disagree, you can see what type of coaches they want. I don’t know at Man United, I really don’t know what they are about now, what they want to achieve and what is the DNA.
“I am talking about now when I watch the games. What Michael Carrick did at the weekend was brilliant, but in two weeks we could be talking about something else.
“What do they want, how are they going to go about it? It should be clear in order to get one of the guys we are talking about.
“The way they [Barcelona] see it on the other side, if you don’t fit who the house is, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done before.
“If you fit what we believe in, you can come. But what are you to make that decision.”
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